Russia's Progress M-27M spacecraft launched successfully toward the International Space Station on Tuesday, but the Russian space agency said soon after that the craft entered the wrong orbit, and then quit communicating with flight controllers. The reason for the glitch is reportedly still unclear.
Progress only has enough fuel for several days — the spacecraft was originally scheduled to dock at the ISS after just six hours, delivering 2.5 tons of supplies, including oxygen, water, and spare parts, Al Jazeera America notes. If flight controllers cannot restore contact with Progress, the spaceship will continue its uncontrolled descent back toward Earth.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
The mental health crisis affecting vetsUnder The Radar Death of Hampshire vet highlights mental health issues plaguing the industry
-
The Onion is having a very ironic laugh with InfowarsThe Explainer The satirical newspaper is purchasing the controversial website out of bankruptcy
-
'Rahmbo, back from Japan, will be looking for a job? Really?'Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Dark energy data suggest Einstein was rightSpeed Read Albert Einstein's 1915 theory of general relativity has been proven correct, according to data collected by the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument
-
New DNA tests of Pompeii dead upend popular storiesSpeed Read An analysis of skeletal remains reveals that some Mount Vesuvius victims have been wrongly identified
-
NASA's Europa Clipper blasts off, seeking an oceanSpeed Read The ship is headed toward Jupiter on a yearslong journey
-
Detailed map of fly's brain holds clues to human mindSpeed Read This remarkable fruit fly brain analysis will aid in future human brain research
-
Why water on Mars is so significantThe Explainer Enough water has been found to cover the surface of the Red Planet – but there's a catch
-
What is NASA working on?In Depth A running list of the space agency's most exciting developments
-
Liquid water detected on Mars raises hopes of lifeSpeed Read A new study suggests huge amounts of water could be trapped beneath the surface of Mars
-
Celestial events to watch in 2024The Explainer Meteor showers, eclipses and more are coming to the skies
